


Can't Fix  You

by Vanya



Category: Third Star (2010), Torchwood
Genre: Angst, Cancer, Coping, Death, M/M, sad stuffs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-22
Updated: 2014-08-30
Packaged: 2018-02-14 05:22:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2179503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vanya/pseuds/Vanya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Twenty years after his mother told his father to leave and never come back, James has found his father again, unfortunately he has to tell him that he's dying of cancer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter I | Radio Silence

**Can’t Fix You**

 

**Chapter I | Radio Silence**

 

It had been twenty odd years since James had seen his father. He could still remember the day that he had to go away. Chloe and he were playing in the back yard when something came out of the brush.

Something that wasn’t from there.

Something that came after them.

If it hadn’t been for their father, it probably would have killed them both. Their mother wrapped her arms around both her children as she watched her husband wrestle the beast to the ground. Once he had gotten it down and into the van, he ran back over to the house, wanting to check his two little ones. The scratches on his body were already healing and James stared with them with a fascination he had never expressed for anything.

And at the moment he knew that his father wasn’t normal.

Karen yanked both children away from him before he could touch them. “Don’t touch them Jack! What was that, what are you?! I want you to leave.” James looked up at his mother, his sister was already crying and his father looked heartbroken as he stood to head out of the door.

James wriggled out of his mother’s hold and ran straight for his father.

“James Kimberly!”

He ignored her shouts and leapt into his father’s arms, wrapping them around his neck to hold him tightly. “I don’t want you to leave da’, please don’t leave. Don’t go.” He didn’t say anything for a long moment, just holding his son, inhaling his scent to remember him.

And finally he spoke, but it wasn’t what he wanted to hear.

“Be a good boy for your mom.”

Jack placed him on the ground and James watched as his father vanished from his life.

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James fidgeted as he sat on the examination table. He was listening to the doctor a little. Fading in and out as he stared at the PET scans. He lit up again. The cancer was in his hip and spreading down to the thigh muscles, along with his lungs.

His eyes hurt from staring at the bright screen for so long. Who knew that something so small. Those tiny little white dots on his lungs and in his hip, were the things that were killing him.

A tight squeeze to his hand and the sound of the door shutting brought him out of his daze, looking over at Davy. He’s been with Davy since he was twenty-two. James was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma two years later, and then given another five to live. Of course he’d been living with it for about three now, that didn’t mean he had two years to go.

No matter how hard he tried to push Davy away, the bastard was too stubborn to leave him. So here he was, looking over the PET scans with him, listening to the doctor when he knew James couldn’t.

James inhaled and exhaled a little, smiling over at him. “What did he say? I wasn’t listening.” Davy laughed and moved his hand to brush a curl out of his face. “Of course you weren’t.” He sighed a little and lowered his head, smile fading from his face. “He said it’s getting more aggressive. Maybe a year and a half at this rate since it’s spreading to your lungs now.”

“Hmmn. Well it explains why I’m having issues getting my breath.”

Davy nodded lightly, staring at their hands. He looked sad again. But Davy always looked sad now. They had been friends since they were three. He was losing the person who met the most to him. Who made him feel useful. James often thought about what Davy would do once he died. Would he go back to work? He had told him that he was made redundant, but he knew he quit to stay home and take care of him.

“So what do we do now?”

“I think you should get together with your dad. You need to tell him what’s going on.”

James sighed and pushed a hand through his hair. He had looked for years to find his father again, it wasn’t until recently that it had actually paid off. He worked somewhere down by the harbor. “I suppose your right. I’ll talk to him and see if I can come down to see him.” He replied as pushed himself up off the table. He held onto Davy as he stood, already panting a little as he was helped into his coat. James reached and grabbed his cane. “I’ll drop you at home and go get something to eat, give  you a chance to call the old man.”

James almost laughed but stopped himself, nodding over to him. “Yeah, okay sounds good.”

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He stared at the number on his phone, finally he clicked send and pressed it to his ear, listening as it started ringing.

_“Hello, Touchwood, this is Ianto Jones, may I help you?”_

James frowned a little and cleared his throat. “I’m looking for Jack Harkness, is he there?” The line was quiet for a moment before it clicked and another voice answered.

_“Jack Harkness?”_

“Uh—H-Hey da’. It’s James.”

The sounds of shuffling and something falling over made him smile a little. He resisted the urge to laugh but finally gave in when he heard his father curse.

_“James! How are you? Christ, it’s been forever. Everything okay?”_

_Nothing’s okay._

“Yeah, everything’s fine. You’re just a hard man to track down.” He laughed a little and stared at his knee for a long moment before speaking again. “So, if it’s okay with you, I’d like to come see you today or whenever.” There was silence on the other side of the phone.

_“Sure Jamie. You know where I am I assume?”_

“Yeah, I have the address. Can I come today?”

_“Yeah, it’s just me and Ianto right now, probably better so the whole team doesn’t swamp you. Come on by.”_

James’ heart felt like it was going to beat out of his bloody chest. He still sounded the same as he had twenty years ago when he left. “I’ll see you in a little while okay?”

_“Sure thing kiddo. Hey—I love  you James.”_

“Love you too da’.”

The phone went dead and James pulled himself up. He scribbled out a quick note and headed out the door.

_Davy,_

_Went to go see my dad, be home later._

_Love you,_

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Walking up to the building, James furrowed his brows. This didn’t look like anything. What the hell did he do for a living? Finally he just shook his head and headed inside. He looked around at the quiet interior, before he leaned over the desk and called out. “Hello? Anyone here?”

After about five minutes he was going to give up and leave, but finally someone came out of the curtain. He was a young man. Probably about his age. “Are you James?” He asked extending a hand to him, which James took after shifting his cane.

“Yes, I’m Jack’s son.”

The younger man looked a little stunned but kept his smile and nodded, hitting a button. A large metal door started to move and James looked over. “Down the stairs, go left, up the stairs and take a right at the computers. His office is at the end of the hall.”

“Heh… thank you, um, you must be Ianto huh?” The man nodded and slipped back behind the curtain, leaving James to find his way up on his own. He walked down the stairs, having to stop and catch his breath before he could continue. James walked into the hub and gaped at everything. He’d never seen anything like it.

A loud shriek made him cover his head, he had to resist the urge to hit the floor. If he did, he’d never get up without help. Slowly he made his  way over to the steps and walked up them, heading right at the computers like Ianto had told him to. Very lightly he knocked at the door and was waved in.

He was right.

His father hadn’t aged a day.

Twenty years later and he was still—well him.

Jack smiled when he saw him and stood from his chair, walking over to wrap his arms tightly around him. “Ohh, Jamie. It’s been a long time.” The younger man nodded to him and held him as tight as he could for a moment before pulling back. “Twenty years and you—heh. You haven’t changed.”

He smiled sheepishly and rubbed his head a little before nodding. “Can’t die, therefore I don’t age.”

James immediately felt a twinge of jealously.  Here he was, twenty-seven years old and he was dying. Slow and painful, and his father couldn’t die or grow old. He assumed that meant he couldn’t get sick either.

“James? Jamie are there kiddo?”

He shook his head and blinked as he was knocked out of his daze. He hadn’t even realized that he had slipped into one. “I—oh, Christ yeah I’m fine. Just a little tired.”

Jack looked over at him, eyes scanning up and down his thin figure, trying to figure out what was really wrong with him. “What happened to your leg? Were  you in an accident or something?”

His breathing was getting hard the more he stared at him. He had to tell him now, but part of him wished he had brought Davy with him. James didn’t know if he could get the words out. “I—I have something to tell you.” He watched as the older man leaned against his desk and nodded for him to continue.

James was shaking.

He was scared to get the words out.

He was scared to hurt his father.

“I—I have cancer.”

He swallowed hard and stared at his feet, god now he was afraid to look up at him.

“Oh—Is it—?”

He nodded and cut him off before he could ask.

“It terminal. I’m dying.”

Finally his eyes moved up to look at Jack’s and James instantly regretted it.

 


	2. Chapter II | Secret Scars and Fading Stars

Chapter II |Secret Scars and Fading Stars

 

“James, don’t lean so far over the boat baby.” Jack called as he watched his son and daughter leaning over the edge of the anchored boat to see the fish. It was one of their first outings together. Karen and he were talking to another couple that had come with them. Jack could never remember their names. He didn’t really care enough.

“Daddy fishy!”

The little voice made him smile and Jack turned to just see Chloe leaning over the edge, like she was reaching for something. “Jamie! Daddy! Jamie fell in!”

His heart felt like it have stopped in his chest, listening to his daughter scream, he was already kicking off his shoes and climbing over the edge.

_“Jack! Get him!”_

He jumped from the boat and straight into the water, looking around for the child. When he finally spotted him in the darkness of the water, he kicked his way down and grabbed him. Jack quickly held him up, letting the other man, whose name he still didn’t remember grab his son and lay him on the dock.

“He’s not breathing. Jack, do something he’s not breathing!”

Karen was making him crazy, her voice was shrill with fear but he understood why.

Their three year old wasn’t breathing.

Pressing his hands to his little chest, he lightly pushed before pinching his nose shut and pushing hair into his little lungs. “Come on baby.” He repeated the actions again and once more breathed into his mouth, this time he coughed up the water, starting to cry as he reached for his father.

“Daddy!”

“Shh you’re okay.”

_We thought we’d taken our gamble and won._

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“Dying? James— you’re not even thirty yet, how— how can you be dying?” The words weren’t making sense in his head. It was like there was a huge error flashing “DOES NOT COMPUTE” in front of his eyes as he stared at his son. The little boy who was born early and was so tiny. Who use to squeal whenever Jack would come home and say hello to him. Who he saved from drowning when he was only three.

That was their close call.

Just that once.

Parents should never had to bury their children.

But in Jack’s case even if James lived to be a hundred, it would still hurt him to bury his son. But this. This wasn’t fair. He was still a child. There was so much he had to do, had to experience and it was all being cut short.

Jack had  to stop himself and take a deep breath to clear his head. “What is it? The cancer you have?”

“Rhabdomyosarcoma.” James answered quickly as he looked over at him, shifting a little until he gave in and sat in a nearby chair. His hand slipped into his pocket and pulled out his morphine, taking a long drink of it to relieve the pain, tingling up his hip into his spine. “It’s more common in children, it’s also more treatable unfortunately. It’s attacking the joint in my hip, spreading into my thigh muscle. I went to the doctor today for a PET scan, and they said it’s spreading into my lungs as well. I haven’t been able to breath well for wee—.”

“Wait— James, how long have you known you had this? How long have you been sick?”

“Uh— About three years?”

“And—how long do you have now? What did they tell you?”

James looked down at his hands, fiddling with his morphine bottle, trying to decided how he wanted to word this. “Not long enough.”

“James.”

“Year and a half maybe.”

He watched the floor, Jack moved and leaned against the desk. James could see his feet shift. “A year and a half— James why didn’t you—.”

“I tried. You’re not exactly the easiest person to track down, you know that right?”

Jack did know that. He didn’t exist on official files; no one really knew what Torchwood was. It actually made him kinda curious to how James had found him. “Are you still working at Cardiff Times? Is that how you found me?”

James laughed a little and shook his head a little. “I’m not going to ask how you know that because you obviously have your ways, but no, I don’t work anymore. Too much pain, and with all the morphine I can hardly focus to get anything done. But I have sources, people who work in law enforcement and stuff that said they’d seen you around.”

His father smiled a little and nodded to his son. “I’m sorry for not getting in contact with you sooner. I’m kind of a shitty father.”

“No, you’re not. You went away to protect us, I remember.”

“Something like that. But Jamie—.” He moved over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I’m here for you now, even if I wasn’t when you were a kid. I want to help you, I’m going to find something to stop this. To fix you, I promise I’ll be there now.”

The younger man frowned and pushed his hand off his shoulder, shaking his head. “No, that’s not what I want. If I’ve only got a year and a half, I want to spend it with you. I don’t have time for false hope.” He frowned a little and sighed, cracking the bottle of morphine again and taking a long swig of it.

He needed it.

“There’s nothing to stop it, and nothing to fix it. Can’t you just enjoy the little time we have left?”

“Hush! There’s always something kiddo~” He grinned at him and held out a hand to pull him upwards. He was hesitant at first, but wrapped his arms around James and held him tightly for a moment before pulling away. “Enough of this huh? Wanna see something cool? We’ll catch up a little bit?”

James sighed and smiled, nodding to him. “Okay dad.”

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“So—I’m a grandfather?”

James laughed and nodded a little. “Chloe got married about eight years ago. Emily’s eight and Lizzy’s three.” He looked around the vaults, trying to figure out where he was taking him.

“Wow. Grandkids. Heh. Crazy. Alright, so—just be ready, this might be a little bit of a culture shock, just be prepared.”

James nodded as they slipped into the room. Glass windows lined along the wall as they walked, some of the horrid looking creatures hit the glass, making him yell and jerk back. He gritted his teeth and swallowed hard, “What are these?”

“Mostly Weevils. Low intelligence, aggressive. Don’t touch the glass okay?”

He did as he was told and followed after him down the hall where he stopped, inside there was a woman.  Her back was toward them, head bowed, legs crossed and hands resting on her knees. Through her white gown her skin was visible and had an almost pink hue to it that shimmered. Her long blond hair curled and fell over her shoulder. Slowly, she gracefully stood up, her gown moving around her as she turned toward them. She was strikingly beautiful yet terrifying at the same time. Her skin almost seemed to glow in the dim light above the cell. Her face wasn't quite human. She had angular points to her face, with two at her temples, two on her cheekbones and one on the bridge of her nose. Even her shoulders had the strange sharp points. But it was the fact that where her eyes should be was just skin. She smiled, full lips pulling back over perfect teeth. "Hello, Jack." Her voice sounding tranquil and peaceful and it made Jack feel like all his worries were slipping away. "Neria." Jack smiled. Neria turned her head toward James and smiled even wider. "Hello, James."

The younger man wanted to recoil a little, as he eyed the woman in the cell. He swallowing hard, one hand moved and clutched at the hem of Jack's sleeve. He was slightly unnerved, but took a moment to relax as she turned around to greet them. There was something about her that made him feel at peace. Like, no matter what happened, whether he lived or died, it didn't matter and it would all be okay. He tilted his head a little and nodded to her when she said hello to him. "Helo." He said letting his accent come out a little more as he, out of instinct, replied in Welsh. "How did you know my name? Have you told her about me?" He asked in a soft voice as he looked over at Jack.

"I know everything about Jack, just as I know everything about you, James. I'm an Empath. I can read emotions and see auras." She explained as she lifted her hands, opening her palms to revel an eye in each palm. Both a stunning and a vibrant lilac color with flakes of ice blue. The eyes blinked as she looked at James and smiled again, this time a little sadder. James’ heart was pounding hard in his chest as he watched her, feeling the need to be quiet and listen to her.

 "You are much stronger than you believe. You have much love in your heart and you are loved by many." She then smiled a little wider, happier as she chuckled. "Davy looks at you as if you hung the stars in the sky." Neria closed one eye, turning the palm to place it over her chest.

Jack smiled a little; at least he knew James had someone who was there for him, even if he couldn’t be. He looked down to where his son’s fingers were clutching his sleeve and he fought another smile. He suddenly remembered James as a little boy, clutching his sleeve and hiding behind him when a famer’s sheep herd got too close.

He was still his little boy, no matter how grown he was.

The younger man nodded to her and smiled a little. “I worry he’ll regret it. He already quit his job to take care of me.” He replied as he looked over at her, pulling his fingers away from Jack’s sleeve to slip his hand into his pocket and take the morphine bottle out and take a drink. Jack took the opportunity to speak to Neria alone.

"He has bound his soul to your since from childhood. He could never regret you, James." Neria smiled. She turned her hand toward Jack, eye blinking at him as she spoke to him in his mind.

 _"You know his sickness will lead to his end."_ She stated. Jack tensed his jaw as he narrowed his eyes at her.

_"I brought him here so you can tell me his future not cryptic riddles. Do I find a cure?"_

_"It isn't his cancer that takes him from this world, but a choice of his own. There will be no cure. Spend this final years with him. Be the father he so desperately craves."_

Jack jammed his eyes shut, trying to keep his anger bottled up. Suddenly, a wave of calm wash over him and he sighed, knowing Neria was using her powers over him.

_"I don’t want to lose him."_

_"You will lose him if you do not let him go."_  

Jack opened his eyes again as he looked at James. Neria pulled her hand away from her chest and looked over at James, giving a sympathetic smile as she watched him down another dose of morphine. “It was very nice to meet you James.”

He looked up and smiled at her a little, nodding. “Nice to meet you too.”

Jack cleared his throat and opened his mouth to say something when one of the Weevil’s started smashing against the cell window. He walked away to see what was going on and James moved to follow.

_“James, put your hands to the glass.”_

He stopped and looked back at her, hands pressed against the glass, they eyes in the middle of her palms closed. Looking at Jack for a moment, James looked back at Neria and did as he was told, lightly pressing his hands to the glass.

A jolt of electricity and he was flung somewhere else. Everything was hazy as he looked over the beach.

_Where am I?_

_Barafundle Bay._

_James turned to look over at Neria who was standing near him._

_“Why am I here?”_

_“Because you need help making a decision, and I want to know if this will change your mind about your fate.”_

_He furrowed his brows at her and opened his mouth to say something when he heard his name being shouted. He looked over and Bill was grabbing Davy and pulling him back to shore. Walking closer to the shore he could see auburn and blond hair bobbing in the sea, then going under. “What’s going on…?” He whispered, looking over at her again. “What’s going on?!”_

_“You’re dying. On your twenty-ninth birthday, your friends will take you to your favorite place in the world and you will tell them that you want to die. That you want to swim out into the ocean and not come back. At first they tell you no. But seeing how much pain you are in without your morphine, in the morning they allow you to go. Miles helps you drown yourself.”_

_James watched as his body was pulled out. Bill held him as Miles sobbed into Davy’s leg for a moment, but soon they all looked as dead as he was._

_Before he could speak again, the connection was lost._

Jack grabbed James and jerked him away, both falling and slamming into the ground. The older man’s arms wrapped protectively around his son as he screamed. Not only because of the sudden severing of the connection, but the impact of hitting the ground. James gasped and pressed into his father’s chest, trying to get the air back into his lungs. “Jamie, shit, I’m sorry, are you okay? I told you not to touch the glass—I told you.” His eyes moved back to Neria who was backing away now.

“What did you do to him?!”

“I showed him what he needed to see.”


	3. Chapter III | Morphine Chasers

**Chapter III | Morphine Chasers**

“Jack, I told you to stay away from us.” Karen tried to be quiet as she stepped out on to the porch, closing the door behind her, to keep her children from peeking out and running to their father. Jack frowned a little when he saw Chloe, wrapping her arms around her brother. He took a step back and looked at his ex-wife.

When she had heard the knock, she assumed it was her parents, only to see him standing there with a brightly colored wrapped gift. Part of her wanted to let him give it to James. Let him join in, but then that monster would pop into her head again and again and then she couldn’t let him near them again. The little piece of fear that nipped at the back of her mind, saying he could bring something dangerous with him.

“He’s my son too, Karen. I have a right to be here. We shouldn’t do this too him, he’s just a little boy.” Jack thought he would try to reason with her. Just try. There was never any harm in trying. “I just want to be here for his birthday and give him his present. Why can’t I just do that?”

“Because you’re dangerous and he doesn’t want you here.” She retorted, crossing her arms across her chest as she stared at him. She didn’t lie having to be so cold to him. But her children came first.

“You’re the one who doesn’t want me here, Karen.”

It had only been about a month since the couple had separated. Today was James’ seventh birthday, and Jack would be damned if he was going to miss it. He couldn’t miss it.

Karen had been trying to keep him away from them. Hanging up when he called, telling them not to ask to see him. But whenever she would go to work, or even go to bed, James would get on the phone with Jack. They would talk and Chloe would talk sometimes too.  He was always just happy to hear them.

“It’s his birthday Karen, let’s not ruin it with our fighting.”

The strawberry-blond woman opened her mouth but closed it again when there was a soft noise of tapping at the bay window in the living room. Two little redhead’s barely peeked over the window sill and waved excitedly at their father, Jamie was standing on his tip-toes to look up and grin at him. Jack raised his hand and waved back to them, before turning to his wife, only to see her heading back inside.

“The answers still no. If you don’t leave I’ll call the police.”

Jack’s mouth hung open as the door once again slammed in his face. He heard Jamie cry as his mother shooed him and his sister away from the window. Jack frowned and looked down at the present in his hands. He was half tempted to leave it at the door, but he was a little afraid that Karen would throw it away.

Letting out a soft sigh, Jack rubbed his hair and turned away from the door, heading down the walk way back to his jeep. But the sound of the door opening made him stop and he turned to see James peeked his head out of the door. “Mum’s in the bathroom. Meet us in the tree house about eleven, Chloe, you and I will have our own party, okay daddy?” He spoke in a hushed tone; the whole action was amusing to Jack that he was so determined to spend time with his father.

“Okay Little James.”

Later that night he did as he was told; bring a present for both kids, along with a little cake and some candles so James could blow them out. He spent the night in the tree house with his son and daughter, telling them stories, playing with them. Finally they all fell asleep. Of course he was gone before the sun came up.

It was the last birthday Jack spent with either of his children.

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“Hey—Jamie. James? Can you hear me? Are you okay?” He was trying to get him to answer, needed him to answer. He was still holding James against his chest, one hand pressed against his. He was still heaving, wheezing and trying hard to catch his breath. He forgot how much it fucking hurt when he couldn’t get his air. “Damn it, James. What can I do?”

Closing his eyes for a moment, James inhaled as deeply as he could before nodding to his pocket for is morphine. It was mostly the pain that was making it difficult to breath. The pain would radiate from up hip and up his spine, making him want to scream every time he shifted.

He was more than a little grateful he didn’t have the bottle in his right pocket. That’s all he needed was broken glass and morphine mixing into the wounds in his leg. The stuff burned his throat to drink it, he could only imagine what it would do if it go in an open wound.

Jack shifted a little and reached into his pocket, trying to dig the bottle out without jarring his son to much. James cried out when he finally got it and Jack’s arm wrapped around his chest and his nose pressed to his hair. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Here I got it now.” He took a moment to read the bottle though. Just to see what it was.

_James K. Griffith_

_Femoral / Morphine_

_Take as needed_

Apparently he needed it a lot since the bottle was half empty. It made him wonder how much morphine the young man went through in a da—

“D-Dad—.”

Jack shook his head free of what he was thinking of and nodded. “Sorry, sorry, here.” He mumbled, cracking the bottle open and gently helping him take a swallow. “There, that’ll help.”

It took a moment for James to remember how to swallow; the pain was making him forget simple things. But it was soon doing its job. James was relaxing and starting to breathe easier than it was before.

“Jamie?” Jack whispered his name again, as James slowly pushed himself up with a grunt, his father’s hand pressing against his back to steady him. “Are you okay? Please answer me this time.”

He gave a single nod, holding out his hand for the morphine that Jack reluctantly handed over to him. Jim uncapped the bottle again and tipped his head back for a drink. He sighed a little shuddering a little as he looked over at Neria who was now sitting back on her bench with her back to them.

“Get me out of here.” He whispered, keeping his eyes on her before looking back at Jack. “Please.”

The older man nodded to him and moved, gently wrapping his hands under James’ arm pits to pull him upwards. James whimpered and gripped at his arm, exhaling sharply. God it all hurt like crazy. He hadn’t fallen in a long time. But the thing that was bothering him the most was what he had seen.

They both slowly walked out of the holding room. Jack was looking over at him with worried eyes. “Can I ask what you saw? I know it was something, you had direct contact with her.”

“You can ask, but that doesn’t mean I’ll tell you.”

Jack stared at him for a moment before rolling his eyes and muttering _grammar Nazi_. It made James smile and laugh softly. He shook his head and sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Mostly blurs and flashes. Couldn’t even tell where I was or what was going on.”

Now, Jack was a good liar. But James was better. He had watched and learned from his father for years before picking it up himself. He didn’t make any of the wrong facial motions; move his eyes the wrong way. He was a perfect liar. It made him good at his job.

Hell he’s gone a year and a half without telling his mother and sister he was sick. Well until Davy blabbed on him. He just—hadn’t wanted to see them suffer. But Davy said they had a right to know and he supposed he was right.

It hurt him more to see them all suffering because of him.

James felt like his nose was running and rubbed his hand along it, only to see blood.

“Alright, that’s enough Empath’s for you, come on we’ll fix you up.”

He nodded and followed after his father who sat him down on the couch, taking his morphine bottle that was now bloodied from his nose. Jack gave him a box of tissues as Gwen and Tosh walked in.

“Jack!”

“Uh—Gwen, Tosh; James. James; Gwen and Tosh. He got a little too close to the Neria. Watch him for a second.” Jack walked down the stairs into the medical room, seeing Owen. He walked over and rinsed off the bottle. “Are you still working on that pain serum?” Owen looked over at Jack and nodded. “It’s still—experimental. Why?”

“My son has cancer. I want to help. Even if it’s just managing the pain.”

“Jack—we don’t know what it can do?”

“Please—just put it in here.”

Owen started at Jack for a long moment before doing as he was told, taking James’ morphine and placing the serum inside. He shoved the bottle back in Jack’s hands. He moved off to go back to James. “Got that nose under control now?”

James laughed a little and nodded reaching for his morphine. “Yeah, it’s already stopping.”

Jack smiled and took the tissues, tossing them away. When he turned back he was going to say something else when an alarm started going off. One of the aliens had gotten out of the cells and escaped into the tunnels. “How the hell—?” Jack moved with the other to the cells, looking at each on until they got to Neria’s.

It was empty.

“Jack!”

The three of them turned and looked over at Ianto who was standing with James now.

“The radar picked up a Rathe. It’s after Neria.”

“Everyone move. James.” Jack walked over and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. “Ready for a bit of action?”

James smiled at him and nodded. “Yeah.”

Jack nodded and started to walk with him. James was walking better and seemed to be breathing a bit easier as well. He must have taken a drink of his morphine.

The serum was working.


	4. Chapter IV | Porcelain

**Chapter IV | Porcelain**

He was early.

Two months too early.

James Kimberly Griffith was due September 2nd.  Instead he was born July 14th.

There was no stopping him if he was ready to be there. But he was still too small.

Chloe stayed with her mother, who was resting quietly as Jack sat in the nursery. His hand in the NICU so that way he could touch his sleeping son.

His son that only weighted 1.17 kilograms*.

So little.

The tiniest thing he had ever seen. That he ever loved. 

The minute he saw his son’s tiny face he was in love with him.

“Little James.”

The infant coo’ed and turned towards Jack’s voice, bright blue eyes blinking curiously in his direction. It made Jack beamed at his son, pressing his finger against his son’s cheek, rubbing it softly. “Hello there, sweetie.” Jack whispered as he leaned down to look inside.

One of the nurses came over and smiled as she looked at the infant with his little blue eyes open and then at Jack. “Do you want to hold him for a little while? As long as he stays warm, he should be fine, since he’s breathing on his own and everything.” Jack sat up a little and nodded, backing up so she could get to James who did nothing but coo the whole time she swaddled him. Standing up she nodded to the rocker, where Jack turned and sat and she gently placed James in his arms.

Holding his breath for a long moment, he was afraid to hold the infant too tight. He was like a little china doll.

Little porcelain doll, staring at him with those big blue eyes.

That was all it took for Jack to fall in love with him.

~ .:. ~ .:. ~ ~ .:. ~ .:. ~  ~ .:. ~ .:. ~~ .:. ~ .:. ~ ~ .:. ~ .:. ~  ~ .:. ~ .:. ~~ .:. ~ .:. ~ ~ .:. ~

“James? You doing okay there?”

The younger man had been silent the whole car ride as they tried to track Neria. When they first left he had been talking and asking questions, but as they got closer and closer to where she was supposed to be, the more silent and ridged he got.

Like he could feel her there.

“Jamie?”

Finally he turned and looked over at him. “Yes, sorry. Um—.”  He looked out the window again as he fiddled with his morphine, taking another swallow. Jack hadn’t expected him to be so addicted to the stuff. This could be a problem with the pain serum he was given. He could so easily overdose on it and really—Jack didn’t know what that would do to his son if he did.

“Turn left.”

“What?”

“She’s left, turn here.”

He was connected to her, and quickly Jack cranked the car to the left, heading into an alley. Both men leaned forward slightly as they looked in the alley for her. The headlights were the only source of lights at the moment to pierce the blackness.

Finally something moved, a head peered out from behind a trash him, the lights of the jeep, illuminating her pink glow all the more.

A car door opened and Jack turned to see James getting out of the car. “James, Jamie wait—.” But he didn’t listen; he was out and heading over to her. Jack opened his door, pulling his gun and looking around. “Neria? Where’s the Rathe?” He asked as he looked over at her. She was pressing her hand to her stomach where a darker pinkish blood was flowing.

“Oh no.”

He whispered and moved down on his knee next to James to look over her. “She’s dying Jamie…” He nodded a little as he looked over at her. “I know… I can feel it.” James looked over at Jack and frowned a little. “I don’t know what’s going on with me. I feel her, but I can’t feel anything else on me. It’s—unsettling.” Jack opened his mouth like he was going to say something when he heard the other’s running over to them. He stood fast and moved to grab Owen, pulling him away from the group.

“Something’s wrong. He said he can’t feel anything and now he’s connected to Neria.”

Owen frowned and poked Jack in the middle of his chest with his finger. “I told you that stuff had side-effects. How much has he been taking? He shouldn’t need his morphine that much if he’s not in pain.”

Jack frowned and turned to look at James who was taking another drink from the bottle. He made a face and shook his head before giving his attention back to Neria. “I didn’t know he was addicted to it when I asked you to do this.”

“He’s addicted to his morphine? Jack, he could over dose on this stuff! We have no idea what taking so much will do to him!” He urged in a hushed tone. “You have to get him to stop drinking the morphine befo—.”

There was a shout and everything froze, then it was all in slow motion.

When Jack turned, Neria had her now fanged teeth, sunk into James’ shoulder, making him scream as Gwen tried desperately to yank her off of him. “Jack!”

 He ran over to grab his son around the waist and want him away from her, taking a chunk of flesh. James screamed and pressed his hand to the wound as Jack help him tightly.

James felt like he was going to start seizing, everything was flashing through his head so fast he couldn’t keep up.

_Four. Five. Six._

_Jack holding him as he died._

_Another little boy._

_Jack’s face was hard, though tears were streaming down his face._

He gasped and snapped out of it when a shot was fired and Neria was stilled. James turned a little to look at Jack who was holding his gun out. She must have been coming at them again. “Dad—.”

The older man looked down at him and shushed him as he slowly got help from Ianto to pull him to his feet. James looked over his father with sad eyes. He would suffer so much and Ianto—god he was barely the same age as him. He’d lose so much.

“Jamie—what? Are you okay?”

He swallowed hard and covered his mouth, before nodding. “I’m okay—.” He whispered as he took a step back to get some air. He was shaking still but waved everyone who tried to touch him away. He didn’t know what happened when Neria bit him, but now he was seeing things about they’re futures and he couldn’t deal with it.

Suddenly, something fell from the rooftops above and landed on one of the dumpsters. Jack jerked a little and his first instinct was to push Ianto and James behind him as he backed up into the wall, keeping himself between both of them, trying to hide James’ scent. He watched in disbelief as the creature climbed up, stretching before it leaped onto the ground. It crouched on the edge and moved its arms around and its ears to hear.

The sickening cracking as everything popped back into place.

It wasn’t a man - it was humanoid looking. It was tall and skinny, like a stick. It was an ash gray color. Skin was covered in a slick wet substance. Pointed ears.

It rolled its head back and opened its mouth. Making a strange noise as it moved. Jack placed his hand over his mouth to keep from being too noisy. He looked around at the rest of the group and they had all pressed themselves into the walls of the alley.

The Rathe looked up to where it had fallen, before leaning down and sniffing Neria’s body that was lying motionless. It didn’t seem very interested in her at the moment though.

Rathes stalked Empaths.

They followed their energy they left behind.

They also stalked those who were in contact with an Empath.

Whatever Neria had done to James when she bit him, he was the main focus of the Rathe’s attention at the moment.

And that meant his life was in danger.

It gave him a sick feeling in his stomach as he turned to look at his son who was staring wide eyed at the beast, his own hand trying to cover his mouth, aqua eye flickered back to Jack and tears escaped, slipping down his pale cheeks.

The immortal man turned back to the creature that was now starting to stand. His eyes widened as he took in the sere enormity of the beast.

It was about seven feet tall. Strong arms, its muscles thick and bulging. Its hands were long with sharp pointed claws, the things face was horrifying.

The head lifted and looked up and its eyes were nothing but black pools.  Rolling its head back and opened its mouth, pointed crooked teeth glistened. Its smile stretched much wider than a normal human’s, showing too much gum line. It also made a strange noise as it moved; every joint seemed to pop as it stalked towards them.

Jack kept his hand over his mouth as he back up until his back was pressed up against Ianto’s chest; completely blocking James. The Rathe sniffed the air. He flinched as its head snapped quickly toward them.

It was looking right at him and he couldn’t even move for the fear of it catching James scent. The Rathe made a growling sound as it stopped less than a foot away and leaned closer, sniffing Jack. Slowly moved his hand down to his side for his gun but cursed in his head when he realized the it was laying on the ground where they had picked James up. Slowly his hand slide back across Ianto’s hip, who stood perfectly still and let Jack grab his gun from its holster.

The Rathe’s hot breath reeked of rotted meat and it made his stomach turn as he fought to swallow the bile threatening to come up my throat from the stench. He silently prayed that James would be still and quiet, like he had taught him when he was little.

But all the younger man wanted to do was slowly sink to the ground so he could stop looking at this thing. The things it had done to people and other Empaths. Very slowly he sank down the wall. Ianto was able to cover him better down that he wasn’t standing directly behind him.

Suddenly, Jack heard a clicking.

The creature turned back to the dumpster. He stared in shock to see Tosh who held up a large gun and pointed it at the creature. She pulled the trigger and with a loud bang, shot the creature. It reared back and screamed an ear piercing screech as it threw his head back.

James let out a cry of fear when it made the horrid noise and Ianto took his chance to kneel down and wrap his arms around him. “Cover your ears, James, do it.”

He nodded and did as he was told, pressing his hands over his ears as Ianto looked back up at Jack to see what he was going to do. Jack was watching as the beast started to turn, shaking its head once before growling and leaping towards Tosh.

It then that Gwen hopped into action, pulling out her knife and leaping for the creature. They collided in midair. The creature screamed as the blade stabbed into its back. They fell to the ground but Gwen leaped up, quick and agile. Jack jerked as he looked to his left as Owen pulled out his injection gun and shot a tranquilizer into its shoulder. He hissed as he fell onto the ground, lashing out at Tosh and Gwen who were trying to hold the creature down as it wailed and thrashed.

 “A little help!” Gwen yelled.

Jack finally moved, looking back at Ianto to make sure that James was safely covered before running off to help the rest of his friends.

The Rathe hissed as it lifted its head and glared at Jack who was coming towards them with Ianto’s gun held out. Growling the Rathe managed to pull itself upwards, tossing Gwen against the dumpster. She yelled out in pain as she hit the ground but even though she was holding her side she was crawling for her gun.

It turned its attention towards Jack, stalking over with a silent swiftness. He staggered a bit, making his brain work to fire the gun.

_Shoot, dammit, shoot!_

The shots echoed through the air as he emptied the clip into the beast and watched it stagger away from him and it the ground, but it didn’t stay there. Soon it was up and turned, tackling Jack into the ground. His hands shot up to press against its shoulders to keep the snapping jaws away from his face.

His hand reached out for something. Anything to defend himself with and finally it wrapped around a broken pipe.

The pipe collided with the creature in the side of the head. It screamed and staggered back. Jack looked down at it to see a black liquid dripping from the end.

Its screamed sounded like nails on a chalkboard.

Every time it did, there was the sound of James screaming as well.

Jack hated that sound.

As it staggered back and he took the opportunity to turn and run but his boot snagged on some trash and he fell to the ground with a hard thud and he winced in pain as he rolled over onto his back. The creature leaped forward and slashed at him. Jack cried out as he felt a sharp pain in his left thigh. The monster opened its mouth, fangs dripping as it leaned over him. He managed to grab the pipe again as the creature lunged at his neck. He held it up the pipe as the creature pounced and the sharp end went right through its mouth and broke out the other side of its head. Its black blood splattered on Jack’s face and neck. Its sharp teeth sliced his forearm as he pulled it out of its mouth. Jack swung its lifeless body away as he clutched his bleeding arm to his chest. He managed to glance down at his thigh and gasped at the large gash. His pants torn and blood flowed out from the gouged, torn flesh with every pump of blood from his heart.

Jack felt his body going weak and he thudded to the ground. He would heal; he knew he would, but this much blood loss he might die first.

There was the sound of his companions yelling for him, and for a moment everything went black.

But a few seconds later he gasped and sat up. Panting he looked around at Owen who was checking over Gwen, and Tosh who was helping him to his feet.

“Jack!”

His blue eyes moved to find Ianto, cradling something in his arms. Pushing Tosh away he slowly moved over to him, body needing a moment to catch up from dying. “What—Ianto what happened?”

“I don’t know, as soon as you killed the Rathe he just—collapsed.”

James was lying on the ground; his head cradled in Ianto’s lap, there was red staining his shoulder and some trickling down his ears. “We need to get him back to the HUB now. Guys!” Jack called to the other’s, turning to look at them. “Tosh and Gwen, you’re on clean up, Owen and Ianto I need you two to come with me.” Jack moved and gently gathered his son in his arms. He was so light. He was just now realizing how thin James really was.

How fragile.

He was a porcelain doll all over again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * 2 lbs 6 ounces


End file.
